The NFL is heading to London this weekend, and the Washington Commanders and Indianapolis Colts are the teams making the trip. The matchup kicks off at 9.30 a.m. ET on Oct. 4 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and there’s a free way to watch it online — if you’re willing to route through a UK server first.
The game is being streamed live on Channel 5, which is geo-restricted to the UK. That means viewers outside the country need a workaround, and the recommended fix is a VPN. Specifically, ExpressVPN is pitched as the tool that can unlock the stream from anywhere in the world.
The London Trip
This is the NFL’s annual trip to London, part of Week 4 of the season. Both teams lost their opening games, then snapped back last week. The Commanders pulled off a surprise win against the Super Bowl champions, the Seahawks, while the Colts beat the Texans with a field goal in the final seconds of the clock.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosts the fixture.
What a Free Stream Looks Like
The setup is straightforward on paper. Channel 5 carries the game, and the VPN routes your connection through a UK server, hiding your real digital location from the broadcaster. The result, according to the guidance, is that you can watch the Commanders and Colts for free from anywhere in the world.
Here’s the step-by-step version:
- Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN, with ExpressVPN recommended.
- Download the app to your device of choice.
- Open the app and connect to a server in the UK.
- Visit Channel 5.
- Watch the game for free.
The catch is that the VPN isn’t free. The source points out that the best services tend to offer generous money-back guarantees, which lets you test the stream without committing cash. That’s framed as a short-term strategy, not a permanent solution.
Why ExpressVPN Is the Pick
ExpressVPN is named as the top choice for this kind of streaming task. The pitch rests on several features:
- Servers in 105 countries, including the UK
- An easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac
- A strict no-logging policy so your data stays secure
- Fast connection speeds with no throttling
- Up to 10 simultaneous connections
- A 30-day money-back guarantee
The subscription math is also part of the pitch. A two-year plan is on sale for $68.40, which includes an extra four months for free — a claimed 81% discount. That plan also comes with a year of free unlimited cloud backup. A one-month plan costs $12.99.
“Live stream Washington Commanders vs. Indianapolis Colts for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.”
Other Streaming Options
The source mentions several other services, each flagged for a different audience. HBO Max is described as the top pick for premium content, Disney+ is best for families, Hulu is a popular choice for originals, and Peacock is the low-cost option for live sports.
None of those are presented as alternatives to the free stream. They sit in a separate section, labelled “You May Also Like,” which suggests they are meant to round out the sports-watching toolkit rather than compete with the main advice.
The Caveats
The source is careful about framing the deal. It says the money-back guarantee is “usually” offered, and it warns that the VPN strategy is “obviously not a long-term strategy.” Those are small but telling details.
The free-stream promise also depends on a paid product. The VPN is the key to unlocking the Channel 5 signal, and the source never claims you can watch the game without paying for something first.
Comparison of the Two Plans
| Plan | Price | Extra Months Included |
|---|---|---|
| Two-year plan | $68.40 (81% off) | 4 |
| One-month plan | $12.99 | None |
The table shows the price difference between the two subscription lengths. The two-year plan is the featured offer, with the extra months included as part of the deal.
What We Make Of It
This is clearly a sponsored guide dressed as advice. The source exists to sell a VPN, and the free-stream angle is the hook. The NFL has a global audience, and the London fixture is a natural draw, so the pitch is marketing a product through a free-stream promise.
The honesty about the money-back guarantee and the temporary nature of the plan is a nod to transparency, but it doesn’t change the underlying structure. This is marketing disguised as a how-to, and the reader should approach it with that in mind.
The Bottom Line
The Commanders and Colts meet in London on Oct. 4 at 9.30 a.m. ET. The game is on Channel 5, and the stream is free if you have a UK server handy. That server comes from a VPN, and the recommended one is ExpressVPN.
The deal is real, as far as the pitch goes. Whether it’s worth the subscription cost depends on how often you plan to watch NFL games this way. The 30-day money-back guarantee is there for exactly that question.
Matt Ford is a freelance contributor to Mashable, and this piece reflects his reporting on the subject.
Source material: “How to watch Commanders vs. Colts in the NFL online for free,” Mashable.
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